Chicago Blackhawks sign Paul Ludwinski to entry-level contract
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed forward Paul Ludwinski to a three-year entry-level contract, the club announced Saturday morning.
Ludwinski, 18, has nine goals and 34 points in 47 games with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League this season. He’s a five-foot-eleven center shooting left.
The Blackhawks selected the Toronto product in the second round (39th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. Ludwinski is the second member of the Blackhawks’ 2022 draft class to sign with the team, joining Kevin Korchinski (No. 7 overall).
Ludwinski’s contract will likely kick in during the 2024-25 season as he is almost certain to return to the Frontenacs at the age of 19 next year. His ELC carries a hit of $931,667 in the NHL.
Ludwinski scored 16 goals and 43 points in 67 games with the Frontenacs during his draft year. He added seven goals and 12 points in 11 games in the 2022 OHL Playoffs.
Prior to joining the Frontenacs, Ludwinski played for the Toronto Marlboros Hockey Association in the GTHL and captained the organization’s U16 AAA team during the 2019-20 season.
The Blackhawks currently sit eighth and last in the Central Division standings with a 24-41-6 record in 71 games this season. They will return to action on Saturday to take on the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
